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  • Ducks Unlimited Canada applauds the leadership of Agriculture and Agri-food Canada and provincial governments in recognizing the importance of environmental sustainability as well as economic value in the agriculture industry under the Agricultural Policy Framework.
 

Agriculture and Agri-Food Policy in Canada: The Next Generation

Canadian agricultural producers own and manage much of the land base that the continent’s waterfowl populations depend on.

Oak Hammock Marsh, Man., January 10, 2007— DUC firmly believes that voluntary incentive-based programs for producers are required for a healthy and sustainable landscape. These conservation programs are vital to achieving our mission of conserving, restoring, and managing wetlands and associated habitats for North America's waterfowl in a cost-efficient manner.  DUC staff are working with our members, partners and supporters within the consultation process laid out by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada on this important policy issue.

DUC believes that sustainable agriculture and waterfowl goals are both possible on Canada’s landscape. To that end, DUC recently sent a document (PDF, 84KB) containing specific items for consideration and inclusion within the next generation of agricultural policy in Canada to The Honourable Chuck Strahl, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.

In the document, DUC proposes:

  • Recognition of environmental benefits fully entrenched in agricultural policy.  This includes the provision of incentives for landowners to conserve and restore natural areas such as wetlands, including rewarding those landowners who have restored and maintain natural areas of their own volition.
  • Enhanced Greencover Canada. Greencover Canada has provided a broad suite of environmental outcomes including benefits to breeding waterfowl especially in the Canadian Prairies.  An enhanced Greencover Canada program would significantly increase overall investment and uptake and thereby provide enhanced environmental benefits for Canadians. 
  • Increased Wetland Restoration. Because wetlands provide significant public benefits at often a high private cost to the landowner, wetland restoration should be funded as a priority activity and consideration given to increasing the government proportion of wetland restoration costs.

How you can help

The next generation of agricultural policy is important to producers and to the future of the continent’s waterfowl populations. DUC is urging wetland and waterfowl conservationists like yourself to become involved in these important consultations by attending the public meetings in your area in January and February, 2007.  To do so you must register online at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada website.

If you are unable to attend a public meeting, we would ask that you contact your Member of Parliament to let them know how important the next generation of agriculture and agri-food policy is to you – and to our waterfowl resource. In addition to contacting your MP directly or participating in the public consultations, DUC encourages all interested Canadians to participate in an online survey about the priorities for the next generation of agriculture policy.

 

If you do participate or if you need more information, please contact Cynthia Edwards, DUC’s national manager, industry and government relations at c_edwards@ducks.ca

Thank you very much for taking the time to voice your opinion in these important consultations.

For more information:

Cynthia Edwards
National Manager, Industry and Government Relations
Ducks Unlimited Canada
Email: c_edwards@ducks.ca

 
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